Dear fellow labor activist, Below is an updated list of more than 300 trade union endorsers for Labor for Palestine's statement, Stop the War on Gaza: No Arms for Apartheid Israel — Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions! Hundreds of non-labor supporters have also endorsed. (If you already signed, but do not appear below, please your labor affiliation to laborforpalestine.us@gmail.com.) Meanwhile, consistent with our statement, a major action will be held August 16 at the Port of Oakland to block cargo from Israeli shipping company Zim. To endorse, or for more information, contact info@araborganizing.org. To participate in solidarity actions the same day elsewhere, please respond to this message. New trade union resolutions are posted here. To continue building our own statement, please be sure to: • Endorse. TO BE LISTED, YOU MUST PROVIDE your labor affiliation/organization (including local number, if any), union position (if any), location, and email address. (THIS INFORMATION GOES IN THE "WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT" BOX.) • Forward this message widely. • Share on Facebook, Twitter and other social media. • Like the Labor for Palestine Facebook page. • Repost widely on other websites. • Introduce a resolution in your union or other labor body (see model resolution, below). • Donate to Labor for Palestine. Please also consider signing a parallel statement by Jews for Palestinian Right of Return here. (All endorsers are welcome, but consistent with the character of that statement, Jews are urged to identify themselves as such.) Thank you. Suzanne Adely, Monadel Herzallah and Michael Letwin Co-Conveners, Labor for Palestine -------- Labor for Palestine Stop the War on Gaza: No Arms for Apartheid Israel — Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions! July 28, 2014 "We call on the UN and governments across the world to take immediate steps to implement a comprehensive and legally binding military embargo on Israel, similar to that imposed on South Africa during apartheid." Palestinian Trade Unions and Civil Society, Stop Arming Israel, July 20, 2014 "For the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent." Beyond Vietnam, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., April 4, 1967 * * * As workers and trade unionists, we join with Palestinian trade unions, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, Unite (UK/Ireland), and labor organizations around the world to urgently condemn Israel's barbaric war on Gaza, which has taken thousands of lives since 2006, including many hundreds in recent weeks. With them, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people against more than a century of Zionist colonialism, dispossession, ethnic cleaning, racism, apartheid and genocide -- including Israel's very establishment through the uprooting and displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians during the 1947-1948 Nakba. Indeed, eighty percent of the 1.8 million people sealed into Gaza are refugees. With them, we support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS), which demands an end to Israeli military occupation of the 1967 territories; full equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel; and the right of return for Palestinian refugees, as affirmed by UN resolution 194. Therefore: • We call on the US government and its allies to end all aid to Israel. • We call on workers to emulate dockers in South Africa, India, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, the US west coast, and elsewhere, by refusing to handle military or any other cargo destined for Israel. • We call on labor bodies to divest from Israel Bonds, and cut ties with the Histadrut, Israel's racist labor federation. (See model resolution, below.) ------------ Initial Signers (List in formation) Labor Bodies NC Public Service Workers Union-UE Local 150 Unite Union NZ Individuals (Affiliation shown for identification only // *Labor for Palestine co-conveners) *Suzanne Adely, U.S.-MENA Global Labor Solidarity Network; Former Staff, Global Organizing Institute, UAW *Monadel Herzallah, former member, Arab American Union Members Council, San Francisco, CA *Michael Letwin, former President, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW L. 2325; co-founder, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, NYC Labor Against the War; US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel Prof. Rabab Abdulhadi, California Faculty Association SFSU Judith Ackerman, 1199SEIU, AFT, UFT, AFTRA, SAG, New York NY Larry Adams, former President, NPMHU L. 300; co-founder, NYC Labor Against the War; People’s Organization for Progress Joseph Agonito, former President, L. 1845-NYSUT, AFT Bina Ahmad, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Sameerah Ahmad, Executive Director, Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center; former member, GEO/UAW L. 2322 Faiz Ahmed, Chairperson/président Canadian Union of Public Employees L. 3903 Tanya Akel, IBT L. 2010, AFT L. 1521 Noha Arafa, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Anthony Arnove, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981, Brooklyn NY B. Ross Ashley, SEIU L. 204 (retired), Toronto ON John Bail, National Director, Pacific Region Canadian Union of Postal Workers Harry Baker, Former Executive Board member, SEIU L. 1021, N. CA Sarah Barker, Organiser, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Julia Barnett, Steward, CUPS, L. 79 Thomas F. Barton, L. 768, DC 37, AFSCME Bill Bateman, Laborers L. 271; Coordinator, RI Unemployed Council, RI Campaign for Work & Wages Richard Berg, Past President, IBT L. 743 Michael Billeaux, Co-President, Teaching Assistants' Association/AFT L. 3220, Madison WI Walter Birdwell, Retired Steward, National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 283 Richard Blake, IBT L. 512, Jacksonville FL Dana Blanchard, Berkeley Federation of Teachers, AFT L. 1078 Dave Bleakney, National Union Representative, CUPW, Ottowa ON Rebecca Bor, Chicago Teachers Union, AFT L. 1 Alexandra Bradbury, co-editor, Labor Notes Larry Bradshaw, VP SEIU L. 1021, San Francisco Gloria Brandman, UFT/NYC-MORE Caucus Deena Brazy, Steward/VP, AFSCME L. 60, Madison WI Tibby Brooks, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981 Gabriel Camacho, UNITE HERE L. 66L Cambridge MA Chris Carlsson, Co-Director, Shaping San Francisco; SEIU L. 1021; adjunct faculty, San Francisco Art Institute Nora Carroll, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society David Chavez, UAW L. 2865, UC Riverside Edward Childs, Chief Steward, Unite-Here L. 26 Jan Clausen, Goddard College faculty; UAW L. 2322 Liaison to U.S. Labor Against the War, NYC Chapter Mary Clinton, Organizer, CWA District 1 L. Antonia Codling, Alt. VP & Former Rep., Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Len Cooper, Victorian Secretary, Communication Workers Union, Australia Krista L. Cortes, Unit Chair, UAW L. 2865, UC Berkeley Heather Cottin, Professional Staff Congress, NYC Mike Cushman, Membership Secretary, London School of Economics, University and College Union branch (UCU) Denise D'Anne, SEIU L. 1021 Joe Davies, Organizer, Southern Local Government Officers Union, Christchurch NZ Warren Davis, Exec. VP (Retired), AFGE L. 2006, Philadelphia Richard Deaton, Ph.D., LL.B., Asst. Director of Research, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)(retired) Francisco Martin del Campo, Head Steward, UAW L. 2685, UC Berkeley Unit Jacob Denz, GSOC/UAW L. 2110; NYU; Brooklyn, NY Roger Dittmann, PhD, Former Secretary, United Professors of California Monique Dols, UFT, NYC Greg Dropkin, Unison; Liverpool Friends of Palestine, UK Tim Dubnau, Organizing Coordinator, CWA District One Arla S. Ertz, SEIU L. 1021 San Francisco Shelley Ettinger, AFT L. 3882, NYC Mark Evard, National Director, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Ottawa ON Mikos Fabersunne, Professional Engineers in California Government (retired) Jessica Feldman, UAW L. 2110, NYC Chris Ferlazzo, Portland Jobs with Justice Prof. Mary E. Finn, Ph. D., United University Professionals, State University of New York at Buffalo Prof. Patrick J. Finn, Ph. D., United University Professionals, State University of New York at Buffalo Gord Fischer, National Director, CUPW Prairie Region, Winnipeg MB Jon Flanders, Past President, IAM 1145 Prof. Manzar Foroohar, former Chapter President, California Faculty Association-Cal Poly Sheena Foster, Global Labour University Alumni Andre Francois, Recording Secretary, USW L. 8751 Carol Gay, President, NJ State Industrial Union Council Maxine Gay, Retail Finance & Commerce Secretary, FIRST Union New Zealand Carl Gentile, National Representative, American Federation of Government Employees Christine Geovanis National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981 Alborz Ghandehari, Recording Secretary, San Diego Unit, UAW L. 2865 (UC Student-Worker Union) Hadi Gharabaghi, GSOC-UAW L. 2110; Cinema Studies, NYU Steve Gillis, VP USW L. 8751 (Boston School Bus Drivers' Union) Mike Gimbel, Chairperson, Labor/Community Unity Committee, L. 375, AFSCME Greg Giorgio, Delegate, Upstate NY Regional Branch, Industrial Workers of the World Nathan Goldbaum, Member Communications Coordinator, Chicago Teachers Union, AFT L. 1 Marty Goodman, former Executive Board member, Transport Workers Union L. 100 Erik Green, UAW L. 2865, Financial Secretary, Santa Cruz CA Ira Grupper, Delegate (retired), Greater Louisville (KY) Central Labor Council, BCTGM L. 16T Maria Guillen, SEIU L. 1021 Gabriel Haaland, CWA L. 9404 Jesse Hagopian, Seattle Education Association/NEA Denise Hammond, Unifor 591 G David Heap, University of Western Ontario Faculty Association Jenny Heinz, 1199SEIU Stanley Heller, 40-year AFT member, West Haven, CT, now AFT 933 (retired) Lucy Herschel, Delegate, 1199SEIU, NYC Fred Hirsch, VP, Plumbers and Fitters L. 393, San Jose CA Michael Hirsch, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981 Bridgett Holloman, 1199SEIU, Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn NY Alexandra Holmstrom-Smith, Chair, UCLA Unit, UAW L. 2865 (UC Student-Worker Union) Jim Holstun, UUP Buffalo Center Chapter, NYSUT, AFT Evert Hoogers, National Union Rep., CUPW (retired) Cherrene Horazuk, President, AFSCME L. 3800 Jonathan House, President (1979-1981), Executive Director (1982-1989), Committee of Interns and Residents, SEIU Sean Howard, Shop Steward, IBT L. 559, Hartford CT Janet Hudgins, CUPE (retired) Ren-yo Hwang, S. VP, UAW 2865, Los Angeles Joe Iosbaker, Executive Board, SEIU L. 73 Malathi Iyenga, San Diego Unit Chair, UAW L. 2865 Joe Jamison, TWU L. 100 (retired) James Jordan, National Co-Coordinator, Alliance for Global Justice Michael P. Kaehler, President, APWU L. 647, Saint Cloud MN Area Marianne Kaletzky, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865 Berkeley CA Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary, AFT L. 1493, San Mateo Community College Federation of Teachers Jim Kaplan, former member, Somerville Teachers Association, MA Wendy Kaufmyn, Executive Board, AFT L. 2121 (faculty union of City College of San Francisco) Brian Kelly, UCU Belfast (formerly Carpenters L. 33 Boston and IUMSWA L. 25 East Boston) Sue Kelly, OPEIU L. 334 (retired) Russell Kilday-Hicks, VP, California State Employees Association Ed Kinchley, San Francisco Committee on Political Education; Co-chair, SEIU L. 1021, San Francisco John Kirkland, Carpenters L. 1462, Bucks County PA Steve Kirschbaum, Grievance Committee Chair, USW L. 8751 David Klein, California Faculty Association Jeff Klein, Retired President, NAGE/SEIU L. R1-168 Cindy Klumb, OPEIU L. 153 Richard Koritz, Former President, NALC Branch 630, Greensboro NC Dennis Kortheuer, California Faculty Association Bud Korotzer, Shop Steward, AFSCME District Council 37, L. 371 (retired) Daniella Korotzer, Former VP & Health & Safety Rep., ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Francine Korotzer, Shop Steward, AFSCME District Council 37, L. 2054 (retired) Dennis Kosuth, Shop Steward, Convention Delegate, National Nurses Organizing Committee, National Nurses United Rebecca Kurti, 1199SEIU Elizabeth Lalasz, Steward & Bargaining Team Rep., National Convention Delegate, District 13, National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses Unites (NNOC/NNU) Zoe Lawlor, Unite Teacher, University of Limerick, Ireland Howard Lenow, American Jews For A Just Peace, trade union lawyer Kristin Lew, 1199SEIU Stephen Lewis, SEIU L. 509 Joe Lombardo, CSEA L. 999, Troy Area Labor Council Marsha Love, UALE, Chicago Michael Lyon, AFT L. 2121 (retiree) John McColgan, SENA 9158, United Steelworkers of America Maureen McDermott, UFT, NYC Henry Maar, Trustee, UAW L. 2865 Amir M. Maasoumi, former member, Federation des travailleurs du Quebec (FTQ) Shafeah M’Balia, National Assn. of Letter Carriers, Greenville, NC Branch 1729; Black Workers For Justice Cindy McCallum Miller, President, Castlegar Local Canadian Union of Postal Workers, BC Edward Miller, Strategic Adviser, FIRST Union, Auckland NZ Gail Miller, UFT, NYC Nathaniel Miller, Industrial Workers of the World Susan Olivia Morris, Alternate VP, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Irene Morrison, Recording Secretary, UAW 2865, UC Riverside Hlokoza Motau, National Union of Metalworkers’ Union (Numsa), Johannesburg, South Africa Kenneth Myers, United Federation of Teachers, NYC Ken Nash, AFSCME L. 1930, DC 37 Lisa North, AFT L. 2, Brooklyn NY Raquel Pacheco, UAW L. 2865, San Diego CA Meredith Palmer, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865, UC Berkeley Jackson Pitts, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865, UC Riverside Maria Pizarro, AFSCME L. 2081 Marion Pollack, retiree, Vancouver BC Jay Poppa, VP, Bridgeport Education Association, Bridgeport, CT Dr. Anna Potempska, PhD, PEF (retired), NY Andre' Powell, AFSCME Delegate, Baltimore Central Labor Council Peter Rachleff, Labor Educator; UALE Natasha Raheja, Bargaining Committee, GSOC-UAW L. 2110, NYC Melissa Rakestraw, Executive Board and Shop Steward, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 825, Oakbrook IL Croft Randle, Retired Local Officer and Provincial Representative, Telecommunications Workers Union, BC Canada Ben Ratliffe, Steward, AFSCME L. 60, WI Dominic Renda, Chief Shop Steward, CWA L. 1105 Eric Robson, Steward and Trustee, AFSCME L. 171, Madison WI Marco Antonio Rosales, Unit Chair, UAW L. 2865, UC Davis Mimi Rosenberg, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Keith Rosenthal, AFSCME L. 3650, Somerville MA Prof. Emerita Marguerite G. Rosenthal, Massachusetts State College Association/Mass. Education Assn./NEA Andrew Ross, AAUP, NYU Janice Rothstein, AFSCME L. 3299, San Francisco Christina Rousseau, CUPE 3903, Toronto ON David Russitano, Executive Board, United Educators of San Francisco, AFT/CFT L. 61 Gillian Russom, Board of Directors, United Teachers Los Angeles, AFT L. 1021 Carl Sack, AFT L. 3220, UW-Madison Teaching Assistants' Association Keith Sadler, UAW L. 2, Toledo OH Lauren Schaeffer, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865, Los Angeles CA Charity Schmidt, Former Co-President, University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Assistants' Association (TAA) Robert M. Schwartz, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981, Boston MA Helen Scott, United Academics AAUP/AFT L. 4996, Burlington VT Mary Scully, IUE-CWA L. 201 (retired) Snehal Shingavi, Texas State Employees Union/CWA L. 6186, Austin TX Tyler Shipley, CUPE L. 3903; Toronto ON Ahmad Shirazi, Former Board Member, IATSE L. 700, NYC Sid Shniad, Former Research Director, Telecommunications Workers Union, Vancouver BC Jerry Silberman, Senior Staff Rep., Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals Lorrie Beth Slonsky, SEIU L. 1021; Paramedic (retired) Larry Smallwood, former Telecommunications Workers Union of Canada; Volunteer President L. 7; human rights officer; union activist for equity rights Nancy Snyder, Recording Secretary Emeritus, SEIU L. 1021 David Sole, Past President, UAW L. 2334, Detroit Peter Spitzform, AFT/AAUP, University of Vermont Brenda Stokely, former President, AFSCME DC 1707; co-founder, NYC Labor Against the War; Co-Chair, Million Worker March Movement Alan Stolzer, Bakers L. 3 (retired) Susan Stout, Unifor 2002, Canada (retired) Dante Strobino, UE L. 150, North Carolina Public Service Workers Union, Durham Brian J. Sullivan, LSSA/UAW L. 2320, NYC Rick Sullivan, BC Retired Teachers' Association, Parksville BC Lee Sustar, NWU/UAW L. 1981; Chicago IL Alice Sturm Sutter, NYSNA (retired), NYC Team Solidarity - the Voice of United School Bus Workers Steve Terry, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Clarence Thomas, Co-Chair, Million Worker March; Executive Board, ILWU L. 10 Elizabeth Thornton, Head Steward, UCLA Unit, UAW L. 2865 (UC Student-Workers Union) Joanne Tien, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865, Oakland CA. Azalia Torres, Former Executive Board Member, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Mike Treen, National Director, Unite Union NZ Corey Uhl, IBT L. 79, Tampa FL Jaime Veve, Transport Workers Union L. 100, NYC (retired) Nantina Vgontzas, GSOC/UAW L. 2110, NYU Sabina Virgo, Founding and Past President, AFSCME L. 2620 Kay L. Walker, SEIU L. 1021, San Francisco (retired) Peter Waterman, Researcher/writer on labour internationalisms; ABVA-KABO, The Hague, Netherlands Dave Welsh, Delegate, San Francisco Labor Council Nancy Welch, Delegate, UVM United Academics AFT/AAUP Bruce Wolf, Social Justice Committee, OPEIU L. 2 Sherry Wolf, CWA L. 1032 Cynthia Wright, CUPE 3903 Garrett Wright, National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW L. 2320, NYC Eddie Yood, CWA L. 1180 Liaison to US Labor Against the War Carol F. Yost, Organization of Staff Analysts, NYC (retired) Steve Zeltzer, CWA L. 39521; Pacific Media Workers; KPFA WorkWeek Radio Additional Signers (As of August 4, 2014) Susan E. Davis, National Contract Advisor, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981, NYC Saladin Muhammad, Co-Coordinator, Southern Workers Assembly; Black Workers For Justice; International Rep., UE (retired) Paul Bigman, Executive Board, Martin Luther King Jr. County Labor Council (Seattle, WA); Organizer, AFM L. 76-493 Rami Elamine, CWA-TNG L. 32035 Ajamu Dillahunt, Former President, Raleigh Area Local APWU; Black Workers for Justice Lyn Meza, Former VP, IUE-CWA L. 201, Lynn MA Noor Ahmad, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Christine Williams, Former Executive Board member, TWU L. 100; Million Worker March Movement Aileen Sander, SAG-AFTRA Robert Caldwell, TSEU/ CWA L. 6186 Josephine Perry, SAG-AFTRA Win Heimer, Secretary, AFT L. 4200R Jonathon Bakan, CUPE 3903, York University, Toronto ON Royce Adams, Former VP, ILA L. 1291, Philadelpha Felix Bunke, IWW (Madison GMB), IU 620 Joshua Morey, Northwest United Educators-Rice Lake/WEAC/NEA; Blue Hills Solidarity Network Deni Asnis, UESF/AFT L. 61 Anna E. Waltman, M.A.,GEO-UAW L. 2322, Amherst MA Jamie Partridge, NALC Branch 82; Delegate, NW Oregon Labor Council Joe Piette, NALC Branch 157, Philadelphia; Organizer, Community-Labor United for Postal Jobs & Services Logan Sellathurai, Former CUPE Ontario International Solidarity Committee Member; Former Executive Board Member, CUPE L. 1 Brian Tierney, OPEIU L. 2; IBT Chelsea Harris, Delegate, IWW, Portland OR Madelaine Davidson Lees, NUJ Book Branch, UK Jay Gilman, Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons International Association, L. 124, Linda Sneed, Los Rios College Federation of Teachers/AFT L. 2279, CFT Elizabeth McDonnell, LIUNA L. 483 Porfirio Quintano, Steward & Executive Board Member, NUHW Burnis E. Tuck, AFGE L. 3172 (retired); IWW Nancy Wright, Hillsborough Classroom Teacher's Association/FEA/NEA, Tampa FL Linda Ray, SEIU L. 1021; Delegate, San Francisco Labor Council; Co-Chair, Peace and Solidarity Committee Kaushalya Bannerji, CUPE L. 3903 Ann Fawcett Ambia, Former attorney, DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services, AFSCME Perry Bellow-Handelman, Site Rep., Oakland Education Association Alicia Deiana Arnold, Oakland Education Association/CTA/NEA Bob Mandel, Former Executive Board Member, Oakland Education Association/CTA/CFT Rebecca Burns, Unit Chair, Washington-Baltimore Newspaper Guild, L. 32035, CWA Michael Shane, Oakland Education Association Gregory A. Butler, Shop Steward, Carpenters L. 157 Buzz Davis Stoughton, Executive Board, AFT-W Retiree Council Tim Goulet, IBT L. 810 Adam Sanchez, Portland Association of Teachers, OR Marian Feinberg, 1199SEIU; NWU/UAW L. 1981 Sean Collins, Organizer, SEIU L. 200; Trustee, Troy (NY) Area Labor Council Alex Read, AFGE, Toledo OH Francesca Rosa, SEIU L. 1021; Delegate, San Francisco Labor Council Philip Smith, UFCW L. 540, Portland OR Kim Scipes, Chair, Chicago Chapter, NWU/UAW L. 1981 Sharon Maldonado, CTA/CFT (retired), Berkeley CA Ben Speight, Organizing Director, Teamsters L. 728, Atlanta GA David McNally, Steward, York University Faculty Association, Toronto ON Charles Post, PSC-CUNY/AFT L. 2334 Kaushalya Bannerji, CUPE L. 3903, Toronto ON Tyler Mitchell, Intern, UFCW International, Washington DC Larry Goldbetter, President, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981 Bill Burgess, L. 5, Federation of Post-Secondary Educators, Vancouver BC Linda Gomaa, MENA Regional Organizer, International Union League for Brand Responsibility; Former Member, IFPTE L. 70 Christine Karatnytsky, Former Executive Board Member, AFSCME L. 1930, New York Public Library Guild; founding member NYC Labor Against the War Michael Haire, 1199SEIU EAST Joe Catron, Gaza Palestinian Territory; Al-Awda NY; International Solidarity Movement; NWU/UAW L. 1981 Duane Wright Davis, Officer, UAW L. 2865 Stephen Aberle, Union of BC Performers, Vancouver BC Canada Malcolm Povey, University and College Union, University of Leeds UK Nadje Al-Ali, Chair, SOAS UCU, London UK Richard Blum, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Angaza Laughinghouse, President, NC Public Service Workers Union-UE L. 150 Ruth Jennison, Massachusetts Society of Professors/MTA/NEA Matthew Camp, OPEIU; WOCC Organizer, Indianapolis IN Sarah Hornstein, Steward, Canadian Union of Public Employees, L. 3903, Toronto ON Mar Velez, Northern Vice President, UAW L. 2865, Berkeley CA Cynthia Franklin, UHPA, Honolulu Sona Shah, Texas State Employees Union/CWA L. 6186 Lawrence Turk, Former member, SEIU L. 1021 Maria T. Moreno, Chicago Teachers Union/AFT L. 1 Carla Curio, OPEIU L.8, Seattle Deepa Kumar, Secretary, Rutgers AAUP-AFT, New Brunswick NJ Jamie Balancia, Co-Steward, CWA L. 1032, Highland Park NJ Lisa Edwards, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society Wendy Thompson, UAW L. 22, Detroit, MI, USA Steve Leigh, Steward, SEIU L. 925, Seattle WA Rachel Messer, 1199SEIU, NYC Legal Aid Society Aaron S. Amaral, DC 37, AFSCME Chuck Mohan, President, Guyanese American Workers United; PSC-CUNY Brian Pickett, GEO-UAW L. 2322 Sam Weinstein, IJAN-Labor; Former President, Utility Workers L. 132, Retired Assistant to National President, UWUA IJAN-Labor Kimberly Goldbaum, Chicago Teachers Union/AFT L. 1 Larry Hendel, SEIU Isham Christie, Organizer, WGA East Sherna Berger Gluck, Former VP, CFA/SEIU L. 1983 Joe Cariello, Steward, Trustee & Executive Board Member, UAW L. 2322 Leslie Cunningham, Texas State Employees Union/CWA L. 6186; Delegate, Austin Central Labor Council Michelle Flores, Campaign Researcher, NYNJ Regional Joint Board, Workers United Dianne Feeley, UAW L. 22 Linda Tucker, East Baton Rouge Federation of Teachers/AFT Howard Pflanzer, PSC-CUNY --------------- Labor for Palestine Model Resolution Stop the War on Gaza: No Arms for Apartheid Israel — Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions! Whereas, Israel is committing yet another series of massacres in Gaza, many victims of which include workers, children, entire families the elderly, and the disabled; and Whereas, Palestinian workers and their families continue to be killed and maimed by naval vessels, jet fighters, Apache helicopters, white phosphorous and other weapons supplied by the US and its allies; and Whereas, during 2009-2018, the US government is set to provide military aid to Israel worth $30 billion; and Whereas, Israel claims of "self-defense" are a thinly disguised pretext for more than a century of Zionist colonialism, dispossession, ethnic cleaning, racism, and genocide against the Palestinian people -- including Israel's very establishment through the uprooting and displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians during the 1947-1948 Nakba. Indeed, eighty percent of the 1.8 million people sealed into Gaza are refugees; and Whereas, veteran South African freedom fighters have observed that Israel’s treatment of Palestinians is “worse than apartheid”; and Whereas, on July 12, 2014, Gaza civil society issued an urgent appeal for solidarity, calling for an arms embargo and full Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against apartheid Israel, which demands an end to Israeli military occupation of the 1967 territories; full equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel; and the right of return for Palestinian refugees, as affirmed by UN resolution 194; and Whereas, on July 10, 2014, the Congress of South African Trade Unions denounced the latest Israeli massacres in Gaza, and called "on the international trade union movement, various civil society organisations, international religious bodies and even business to speak out against savagery and barbarism against fellow human beings"; and Whereas, on July 11, 2014, Unite, the biggest union in the UK and Ireland, stated that it "unreservedly condemns the continuing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and calls for the military strikes and the military build up to be halted immediately," and reiterated its support for BDS; and Whereas, the campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against apartheid Israel has been endorsed by numerous labor bodies around the world, including the trade union congresses of South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, Ireland, Scotland and the UK, and labor bodies in Australia, France, Canada, Norway, Catalunya, Italy, Spain and Turkey; and Whereas, top U.S. labor officials nonetheless continues to invest billions of from union members’ pension funds in State of Israel Bonds, a pillar of apartheid that enjoys tax-exempt status from the U.S. government; and Whereas, in opposing the Vietnam War, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared: “For the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent"; and Whereas, Nelson Mandela declared: "We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians"; Therefore: • We endorse Labor for Palestine's statement Trade Unionists Say: Stop the War on Gaza: No Arms for Apartheid Israel — Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions! • We call on the US government and its allies to end all aid to Israel. • We call on workers to emulate dockers in South Africa, India, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, the US west coast, and elsewhere, by refusing to handle military or any other cargo destined for Israel. • We call on labor bodies to divest from Israel Bonds, and cut ties with the Histadrut, Israel's racist labor federation. ------- LaborforPalestine.net LaborforPalestine.us@gmail.com